Twin Mind Jutsu
by Hikiri
Summary: Harper was considered crazy; after all it was impossible to dream of the future, right? One day a strange urge to help a man perceived as homeless ultimately brings her to a new world. There she slowly dies as the craziness that is her Bloodline destroys her from within. The only way to save her is a kinjutsu that links two peoples minds in an inseparable bond. Set after war.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have been sitting on this idea for quite some time and I hope that those of you who read it will like it. This is also my attempt at writing two separate fics at roughly the same time so be forewarned of that. I know the summary was weak and I am sorry for that. Please enjoy though. This is going to be OC/Gaara and yes it is a bit like those 'a fan gets dropped in their favorite anime' but give it a chance eh?**

* * *

Kankuro wasn't exactly sure why he was doing this for his brother. Sure it was a mission, and being the first ninja to be intentionally sent to the Spirit Away Dimension had a certain amount of prestige, but still.

The Spirit Away Dimension. It had been years, but since the end of the war various shinobi from each of the five great nations had been disappearing only to reappear several days later. Stories from these shinobi, shared amongst the allied forces, told of a vast, sprawling village with buildings taller than those in Amegakure and carriages that moved without being pulled by beasts of burden clogging the road.

It seemed like a fantasy to the puppet user. A story told to little kids; a waking dream. But the five Kage had taken an interest in this other world. That only increased when a young man from the Hyuuga clan got Spirited roughly a year ago. The young man had reported that the majority of the village's unbelievably large population had barely any chakra; just enough to function in fact. He mentioned though, that there were people amongst the civilians who had drastically stronger amounts. Among them were individuals whose chakra flared as if some passive ability was firing off.

There had been talk since then of possible Bloodlines.

With this information came a rift in the Kage alliance; briefly. While the Raikage, Tsuchikage, and Mizukage felt that these potential bloodlines should be brought back by any means necessary and analyzed, the Kazekage and the Hokage both merely wished to make contact peacefully. One thing they could all agree on was that contact should be made. And so, a certain chakra fueled device was constructed with the aid of the Sharingan users of Konoha, who had put some study into the Kumai ability of the Mangekyo Sharingan, which would allow for travel to this other dimension.

The decision on which village would make first contact had been rough. Mifune, of the neutral Samurai faction, had been called in to help deliberate and things had gone downhill from there. After several days of arguing the Kazekage, Kankuro's younger brother, Gaara, stepped out of the race saying that even with all the tension, any one of the villages would be adequate ambassadors to this world.

Mifune, impressed by this, had decided that Suna should be chosen to send a representative. The Kazekage had chosen after a bit of deliberation to send Kankuro. So here he was. Kankuro knew he could have refused, after all, the device that sent him here was not perfect; it was dangerous. He could have died. But Gaara had such hope for this world. Kankuro wanted to help him hold out a hand to them. Gaara was his little brother after all.

And so there the puppet user stood, disoriented and put off, looking up at skyscrapers and cars though he didn't know that that was what they were called. He wasn't very good at discerning chakra. He wasn't the sensory type. This had been taken into account, but Kankuro had still been chosen. With that in mind he set off in a random direction, seeking a large building to get out of the cold.

* * *

It was snowing out. The small flakes, each more unique than the people they fell upon, would land and pile up; clustering into drifts and banks only to be plowed aside by trucks and shovels. The pure white snow would be tainted and darkened, grayed to the color and consistency of sludge by the pollution of the ever busy New York City. It was not the snows fault. It was merely the future set in stone by an ever evolving present. The snow had been damned; it fell in civilization after all, not a mountain or meadow.

Such thoughts were atypical when the world looked like a slightly dirty, upended snow globe but it had been that way for some time. My thoughts were no longer as they used to be. But then again, who wouldn't question their own thoughts when therapists to teachers, even family, doubted how in sync with reality they were.

This was not one of those works of fiction I pored over to escape. There was no magic, no dragons and their slayers, no knights, no ninja. And above all else, there was no way for someone to glimpse the future in their dreams. No matter how badly they desired it. However, when it was like this, the city enveloped in the dancing snow making everything seem quiet even though it was still as noisy as ever, I remembered that last dream.

In all actuality it wasn't my _last_ dream; I woke up each morning with the feeling that I had dreamed, after all everyone dreams. But it was the last dream I could remember having. For some time after this realization I told myself the dream was real, that perhaps it meant something. But those thoughts had passed years ago. It was only times like these that I allowed myself the memory; when the snow drifted in nostalgic reminiscence of the sand that parted to reveal a carefully guarded face.

In a way, that dream was reassuring; a beacon that things could change, even though I long ago gave up on the concept of a man who could use sand to protect himself. In another way, it reaffirmed the shaky conviction that I was, in fact, insane.

It isn't that I fell in love with that man. Whoever he was I didn't know him from Adam and, even in a dream, I was no believer in love at first sight. It was more a sense of security. It was the feeling that the world could be going to Hell in a hand basket and even if he couldn't stop that descent he could make Hell itself into a sanctuary.

My therapist, for years, has been telling me such dreams are just cries from the subconscious for someone to make me feel safe and comfortable. A rock. She has been working with me to consider myself my own comfort.

My friends, however, tell me that my therapist is a bat shit crazy loon more full-of-it than a spokesperson for an endorsed advertisement. It is true that they may just be feeding me nonsense. They may be egging me on. But when we are face to face, my friends profess their belief in me.

Their belief in me; such a rare and difficult thing to come by. It made me want to be sure of myself, my words and my actions. _The seemingly important things I think of when it snows._ That was my thought right before this tiny snow globe world of mine was shaken, completely upended when, without warning the silence was broken.

The sound of an argument outside made me pause the anime I watched on my desktop. To be honest it was one of many such shows that I was already very familiar with. One of my friends, a smiling and motherly woman named Minnie, told me I would enjoy it. I don't know why I listened to her since I was normally doing my own thing, but some time into the first series of the two a young man was introduced who had red hair and protected himself with sand.

He wasn't the main focus of the story and had very little screen time on either series but watching this anime Minnie found for me made me calm and even if I didn't actively think about that last dream without the snow falling, the warm feeling was nice.

I was watching the episode where said red head fights the titular character of the show, Naruto before the sound of the woman who ran my boarding house screeching at some poor unfortunate at the top of her lungs in a shrill, coma inducing voice caught my attention.

I, as a rule, don't get involved with peoples' problems. Last thing anyone needs is some random chick coming up and getting nosey about things that don't have anything to do with her. The last thing my therapist needs is for me to rail on about someone else's problems for our weekly half hour session. The last thing I need is a headache.

But that strange thing happened. It's something that, to the best of my knowledge, doesn't happen to 'normal' people. Not like this. It was like déjà vu but stronger. Almost like something in my mind was seeing an event that wasn't happening. Like that portion was sectioned off and processing on its own. Somehow I could still function when this happened. I could still see with my eyes and hear with my ears. So with one set of ears I heard the Manager screaming at whoever was on the stoop and Mrs. Whittiker's dog down on the second floor barking away. With the ears that didn't exist I heard my own feet pounding down the stairs, the creak of the door as I pulled it open and the howl of snow-laden wind blowing past my face.

Most of the time I let this feeling pass. Even in situations where I could really make a difference I remained far removed from anyone else's problems, no matter what they were. How would I explain to someone, even if I just saved their life, how I knew what was going on or how to help? I had walked past more dire problems than a homeless guy needing a place to stay.

Knowing this, why were my feet still moving? I could hear the conversation before it even happened. I knew exactly the right responses to make. A flick of the wrist, a roll of the eyes. For the first time in my life, I just went along with the prompts and visions in my head and things worked out. Now, a full ten minutes later, some guy I had called Kuro in front of the manager was perched on the edge of my couch. He didn't look too worried about anything but I could imagine how freaked out he was considering some random girl just claimed to be his cousin.

"If that's the regular reaction to some crazy lady with a broom yelling at me I feel like I could get to like this place." He said after a decent length of time.

"First time in New York?" I asked thinking casual conversation was better than, 'Why the hell are you helping me?' When he hesitated I asked instead, "Or just new in general?" A lot of people came to the city for a fresh start.

"I'm not from around here," He hedged.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter where you're from or what your circumstances are, I still shouldn't let you freeze to death in a blizzard. I figure you can stay here up to three days, or at least that's what my contract says about visitors, so just sorta get comfy till this storm blows over." I felt like such an idiot for even suggesting it. Who invites a random stranger into their home for 'up to' three days? I was going to get killed in my sleep and this guy was going to be wearing a Harper skin suit.

The guy just looked at me, probably still curious to whether people were usually this accommodating in New York, so I added, "And no, people generally aren't this helpful anywhere." After a pause I added, more to seem slightly dangerous with the whole crazy factor, "It's snowing. I tend to do reckless crazy things in the snow such as helping a guy of questionable origin and history for no other reason than a memory that should be out of my head by now." Not only was it true, it probably made me seem sufficiently crazy to avoid a knife between my ribs.

The guy didn't seem bothered by it though. He must either be a real go with the flow kinda person or he had read one too many Mary-Sue fanfics. That or he was going to kill me anyway. It was really up in the air.

I had never done this before though. I had never helped someone, let alone letting a random stranger into my apartment. I had never gone along with the stupid hallucinations that seemed to pop up in crisis. All throughout my childhood I thought I was a super hero; that I had powers that could change the world. That only lasted until the real world caught up with me. I told my mother about the dreams I had when I was ten. She told me they were just dreams. After I began to insist that I really could see things about the future when I slept she got me help.

After another ten years, when I was twenty, the sporadic hallucinations began to crop up. I still hadn't told anyone about them but it was like when my adrenaline or sometimes just my interest was piqued I could almost see a step ahead of everything while still taking note of everything going on at the actual time. It was disorienting at first but over time I was able to adjust and live with it.

The guest I seemed to have acquired was gazing rather intensely at my computer; the screensaver was flashing picture after picture every ten seconds. There were some pictures on there of certain anime characters that would give the wrong impression of me though so I walked over and shook the mouse.

"I was just watching an old episode of Naruto if you want. It's subbed though so, unless you know Japanese you'll have to read."

"Naruto?" His voice was incredibly serious all of a sudden and I couldn't place why so instead I just explained the premise of the show.

"It's an anime…I guess you could say kind of like a cartoon from Japan though really that's kinda lame. The main character of the story is a ninja from this made up place called Konoha. Tells all about him, his life, his friends, there's this war in the second half of the series, Naruto Shippuden…think Shippuden means generations or something. This episode is about something called the Chuunin exams, which helps determine who deserves a promotion. Anyway, the main character is fighting someone named Gaara and… ah well, listen to me ramble. If you wanna watch that's cool if not sorry I won't be too entertaining." The guy stared at me like he was in a state of shock so I thought to reassure him. "It's obviously all make believe and fiction. Can you imagine ninja being real?"

With that last comment I moved my chair a bit and hit the space bar so that the scene of Naruto freaking out about thinking of something with claws and fangs began to play. We ended up watching several episodes that night. In fact, Kuro, whose name I still didn't ask, was so enthralled that I taught him how to use the computer so he could watch further as I fell asleep. I had both series downloaded in full so far so it would at least keep him busy.

Before I fell into oblivion I told him in a slightly loud voice, "I have to go to a friend's house for lunch tomorrow if you'd like. She has no problem with strangers and will feed you too." Without hearing a response I zonked out. Really, saving people was exhausting.

* * *

Kankuro just sat there. He watched more and more of the 'anime' as the large girl sleeping a few feet away called it. It was astounding to think that this dimension had any information on his home. It was perplexing though. He looked to the last little picture on the screen. She said something about a file and a folder and none of it really made sense…but having watched that …episode… It didn't show the end of the war.

Somehow he didn't think things would be this easy. The girl, when she showed up, was burning through chakra as some seemingly passive ability continued to fire off and now, as she slept her chakra was being molded again. He wasn't sure why. He did know that it meant she had a Bloodline. He even had a timeline. Three days. He had to convince this woman to come with him in three days.

* * *

**A/N Review if you like, it will help me to decide which fic i will be focusing more on and also let me know how this is.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for the delay I had a full sketched out idea of how I wanted this to go and I decided right before posting that I wanted to go at a different angle. I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning to light snores only slightly more obnoxious than heavy breathing coming from the man I 'rescued' yesterday. As soon as I shifted my legs beneath my comforter as I stretched, preparing to get up for the day, my guest stopped snoring and jolted awake on my couch. That was when I decided this guy was definitely not normal. There was also something vaguely familiar about him that I just couldn't place.

"Um, so, I'm going to go shower and everything. If you don't mind staying in here I'll show you to the house bathroom when I am done." I didn't mean to make it sound like an option but the whole stranger-in-my-room factor was hitting me slowly but surely and I was starting to freak out.

The man blinked in confusion, looking around as if he was in a strange new world and everything was amazing but bewildering. "Yeah, sure, take your time."

As I bolted out the door with everything I needed for my shower which, according to the rules of the boarding house, was limited to fifteen minutes I couldn't help but look over my shoulder. My guest was staring at my computer's background with a small smile that I didn't know what to make of. As the door closed the image, a collage of Gaara photos in the shape of the kanji for love with the words 'those who meet my eyes' 'all must die', switched over to my screensaver slide show. It was only after I felt the hot water of my shower spray down my back that I remembered some of the more risqué fan art on my hard drive.

_Too late now. It's not like anyone on there is actually real anyway._

Ten minutes later the issue was far removed from my thoughts and instead I was staring in the bathroom mirror with a frown. My hair, though still wet, was already curling out of control; even on the best day it floated around my head, wispy and almost smoke like. Eyes a shade reminiscent of dark chocolate and framed by rather average black lashes and eyebrows that were thin and only slightly arched drew the most attention whereas the rest of my features were distorted by extra weight.

Medications prescribed for grandiose delusions made me retain fat and that, paired with the fact that those same medications never allowed me to feel full, had, over the years, caused me to put on more and more weight until I was well beyond pleasantly plump. After having tried everything from diet fads to exercise regiments to not eating, defeat sunk in and I stopped caring.

_It will never get any better than this._ I told myself that every morning after I was dressed and ready for the day. It was my personal mantra of sorts; a reminder that dreams were dreams and reality was real. For a while I railed against this truth but now it was comfortable.

When I got back upstairs my comforter was over my monitor and 'Kuro' named thusly, I realized, because he was wearing all black, was huddled on the couch with his back to it. "I know I have some questionable photos on there but there aren't any nudes." I pointed out to him but he just lifted his head and stared at me like I grew seven more heads.

"Nudes?" He didn't sound curious like most guys would. He sounded embarrassed and indignant.

"Yeah, some weirdoes take it in their heads to draw different anime characters with _no_ clothes. From what I hear some of it can be quite…elaborate. I've never bothered looking it up though, it's a bit much for me." I tried to sound casual but really what kind of guy didn't show any interest in nudity. It was like he was shy to a whole new degree. _Wish more guys were like that. _"Anyway, lemme lead you to the bathroom. Like I said last night I'm going to my friends' house and I can't just leave you here so you can come or find somewhere to hang out or something. We will leave in a couple minutes."

* * *

Snow was still drifting down in light sheets of cold beauty when we got to The Warehouse. It really was a warehouse that Minnie and the others bought years ago and renovated in their spare time to make it livable. There were twelve people living there and I was one of many more that came over regularly. And somehow, just like every other time, as soon as I walked onto their property Minnie was popping her head out of the door. This time was unique in that she looked weary.

The hesitant look passed and the woman's usual smile spread in greeting. She was tall and lean with blonde hair cut short and spikey and had eyes that seemed to change from blue to green depending on the day and her attire. "Harper! You brought a man? The world is ending. War is upon us and there is no salvation in sight, you know?"

I just snorted as a couple heads looked through windows in curiosity. Kurt came ambling out as if he were needed. "It's not like that, Minnie. He just needed a place to stay. It was snowing out." I told them knowing they would get what I meant. It was just one of those weird things about me.

"Harper, did it occur to you that he could be dangerous?" Kurt's brown eyes narrowed at Kuro.

I seemed to bring attention back to me as I spoke without thinking. "_It_ happened again. I just listened this time." They all looked at me with interest before Minnie pulled me towards the door. Kurt stayed behind and another friend, Nick, walked past us as we got to the door as he headed towards Kuro, a determined look on his face.

I knew I shouldn't be worried. Nick wasn't a violent person; in fact he was incredibly placid, but everyone was acting strange. Inside I could smell beef cooking in a stew and the heat of the building slowly spread into my toes and fingers. After a moment three of the other girls living in The Warehouse walked over brimming with questions.

"Who is he?"

"He's kinda hot, don't you think?"

"What's his name?"

Ignoring these questions would do no good and would only give to birth to even more annoying questions. "I'm not sure. He's not my type. I call him Kuro, not sure what his real name is, never asked." The answers came out rapid fire and I just stood there in the lobby like atrium waiting for more pointless questions that I couldn't answer anyway.

Two of the three tended to catch me off guard and it was vivacious and flirty Jane who giggled at my answer to her question. "Of _course_ he's not your type. You have a thing for red heads."

Yaya picked up from there, "But only if they can control sand. How can you not know who he is if he came with you?"

"He didn't do anything to you did he?" Kelly, the third woman of the hair dye brigade asked. Kelly had blue hair with black roots showing through, Yaya used orange hair dye, though sometimes she would go green, and Jane had hair so platinum it looked white. Jane and Yaya were ridiculously curvy and often wore clothes I didn't have to be wearing to cringe at. Kelly was small in every way. Some people confused the poor girl for a teenager.

"No, we just watched Naruto for a while and then I feel asleep. I think he watched for some time after. Sides, who would do anything to…" I was silenced by four very protective glares. My friends always told me a person was not measured by their weight but that was easy for them to say when they were all skinny.

"Well come eat some stew, the boys will be along shortly." Minnie took my hand in hers and made her way towards the kitchen. Looking out the window set in the door I didn't see Nick, Kurt or Kuro. Instead I saw another one of my friends heading towards the shed, Isaac, who was also very quiet. He was contemplative. I would never suspect violence from him. Kuro would be fine.

* * *

As soon as they set foot on the property, Minnie knew something odd had happened. The man with Harper had training and more than that he had an affinity. People in this world did not have natural affinities. Of course, all this time they knew Harper would find a way to Minnie's home. To the place everyone she loved in this Warehouse considered home. A place they could no longer go to.

Of course, Harper knew nothing of that. She didn't need to know. After all it would not do any good. The dead could not return to the places they lived in. That was the problem with being dead. This seemed different though, and whoever the man was Minnie knew the young woman she used as a surrogate daughter would be going soon.

And so Minnie popped her head out the front door and tried to put on a hesitant expression. It was difficult not knowing whether to be happy or sad but she was not one to be hesitant. Especially not when she knew that any one of the former ninja in this house could take on some next generation start up. Seeing who it was, the woman was glad they all wore Transformation Jutsu in this world. The man, a puppet user who happened to be the Kazekage of the 4th Shinobi War's older brother, would know quite a few of the people here.

_Proceed slowly._ She told herself. Minnie knew everything Harper had gone through after being born with a Bloodline Limit that reacted passively and she knew it had been like hell. That's why they professed such belief in the girl. That's why they pushed her, egged her on. She didn't belong in this world that hurt her. They, the dead ninja from another world, had to get Kankuro to bring her back. Even if it meant using genjutsu on her. Even if it meant making her hate them.

When her husband and another of the ninja came out she took it as her cue to bring Harper inside. She just hoped her husband wouldn't say more than was necessary. If he thought it was the right thing to do or even the kind thing to do he would say everything.

* * *

Lunch became dinner instead as hours passed before the guys came back. Kuro's face was surprisingly blank; like he was processing one too many things.

"What did you do to Harper's little boyfriend Kurt?" Jane asked as everyone else in the room rolled their eyes.

"He is not my boyfriend." It was pointless to remind her but I tried anyway for his sake.

"Yeah that's cause your so _infatuated with…_" Yaya began only to fall silent at Minnie's fist colliding with the top of her head.

"You leave her alone about that." The motherly woman said sternly while Kuro watched as if he were analyzing every action.

"Yeah, don't be stupid Yaya," I agreed. "He's not even real so how can I have any attachment to him?" But Yaya just stuck her pierced tongue out while pulling down on her left eye.

Kuro cleared his throat before I could launch myself at the childish wench, bringing my attention to him. Twelve other people also faced him, their faces more serious than I had ever seen. Isaac nodded to Nick who returned the gesture. Jane and Yaya both looked more determined than I thought they had the mental capacity for and there were other reactions as well. Noah, a boy with red hair and round glasses who always sighed at Jane when she was her most provocative, was concentrating on everything happening, a leaf could fall outside and he would probably know. Cheerful, helpful Renee and her goofy but kind partner in crime Toby were glaring but they were also holding hands under the table to try to contain an excitement of some sort. Kelly kept closing her eyes like she was sending prayers. Steve and Ian, the two older gentlemen who could usually be found playing chess in the living room, had identical poses, arms crossed, chins against their chests. Minnie was the only one looking at me while Kurt just leaned against the dining room wall, his arms folded.

"I was told you would believe the information coming from me the most since I have the least reason to pick on you or trick you." Kuro told me. "But I was warned you would most likely not believe quickly. For starters, you only got half of my name right when you addressed me in front of your house."

"Half?" I couldn't help the question. What could 'Kuro' possibly be half of? But my mind began to make strange connections. Kuro didn't even know what a computer was. He looked so incredibly serious at the mention of Naruto. The anime from last night was almost too fascinating and the look on his face when he saw the Gaara background. "Kankuro…"

* * *

**A/N: So that's the chapter. Kudos and cool points if you can guess who people are. Hope you enjoyed and hopefully I will update a bit quicker this next time.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the subs. It makes me so happy. Sorry this chapter is a little short but I couldn't bring myself to add filler.**

* * *

Chapter 3

"Kankuro…" The name came out of my mouth before I could think it through. _'You would believe the information coming from me the most…_ _you would most likely not believe quickly._ "Impossible."

"Harper," Minnie spoke quietly but also warningly. Like a mother telling her daughter to behave and listen.

"What are you playing at! You! I trusted you! All of you! You never made fun of me! You never called me crazy! But now some _stranger_ comes over and you think it's funny?" Words that I didn't even mean to say came out vicious and angry as I shouted louder and louder. "You were my friends, but you betray me like…"

I don't know what it was but all of a sudden it was hard to breathe, as if some kind of pressure was clutching my lungs in a vice grip.

It was Kurt who spoke and for a moment I felt anxiety more than I have known in all my life. I was terrified at the look in his eyes that, for some reason were clearly blue and piercing instead of the brown I was so used to. "You, who have lived a sheltered and cosseted life away from pain and war and loss, have no right to speak of betrayal." I wasn't sure why but those blue eyes slid to Toby behind me. I was too scared to look back at the normally ridiculous guy's reaction.

Minnie raised her hand as if asking Kurt to stop something and with that movement the pressure I felt grabbing at every part of me vanished. When Minnie looked at me again she looked upset. When she was talking again I wanted to not listen. These guys were treating me like a fool. I mean I was crazy but I wasn't crazy enough to believe that some random guy who showed up on my doorstep was a character from an anime.

"Harper," Minnie caught my attention simply and didn't let it go. "Don't think too much on this but I had a son your age. I never got the chance to know him personally but this world is truly a strange and wonderful place and I got to learn so much about him. That's why I treat you like a daughter, and as a woman who treats you as your mother should I am begging you to listen. You are not crazy. You never were. You were born with a Kekkei Genkai. A Bloodline Limit unlike anything I have ever heard of."

"Stop it…" But my words were weak. I was losing my anger. What was I supposed to do? I didn't want to believe I was special. Not anymore. I wanted to float through life never settling on who I was. Looking out the window I saw snow; the snow that made me reckless and spontaneous. It reminded me so thoroughly of that dream. The person in that dream; the one who could make Hell itself a sanctuary.

As if reading my thoughts, Yaya giggled. "He is real," she asserted.

"That's no reason to go to some other world," I said curtly.

"Dimension." Kankuro finally spoke up to say that one word.

"Come again?" I didn't quite get the difference.

"It's the same world. The land masses and bodies of water are different, I think, but it's like a coin. Two sides. Though there are a bunch of dimensions so a coin might not be the best example. Everything is connected though." His explanation made no sense to me but I nodded like I understood.

"You're going, though, you know." Minnie said softly and, for the first time, I realized that that made her sad. "We always knew you would. The day you told us that dream…you were so convinced it was real. And that's because it is. After all, people aren't born to do particular things but once set in motion certain things cannot change."

"There is no destiny, only fate." I quoted. I don't know where the words came from besides an anime wallpaper on my computer but I did like the saying. "What about you guys?" A part of me was sure they would come along too. I was positive that they would all fit well.

They all looked to Kurt for an answer and he sighed, a favorite habit of his. "We can't. It's not our place anymore."

My head snapped up at that. The logical conclusion would be that their place was no longer with me, that that is what he meant. But logic stopped running its course with conversation at the start. "You…" I began, but Jane interrupted me.

"We are going to miss having you around."

"Oh, please! You'll find some hot guy to comfort you and then drink yourself to sleep," I scoffed.

"I'm serious." And for once she really sounded it. I felt bad for brushing her off at that.

"Maybe I can visit." I looked at Kankuro hopefully but he just shrugged.

"That depends on a lot of things. I'm guessing the other Kage will want to try and scoop up some of the Bloodlines here but there is no guarantee that you'll come back. I would advise you to keep that in mind." I gave him a strange look. _Wasn't he supposed to be convincing me to go with him?_ He answered the look by saying, "I'm under orders from the Kazekage to make the situation clear. It would be unfair to swindle you into coming to Suna under false pretenses and then not let you come back. To avoid that I was told to be upfront."

"So," I figured this was the Q&A portion of the discussion, "what am I going to be doing? Am I going to be a lab rat?"

Kankuro snorted. "As if Gaara would allow that. If you want you can become an ambassador or liaison of sorts or, if you can handle it, you're welcome to ninja training. If you qualify that is."

All of a sudden I was all too aware of my weight and lack of agility. It would be dangerous being a ninja but as I thought on it something came to mind. The hallucinations…were these visions something that would help in combat? They occurred when I was in danger or intrigued by something and showed what would happen after one move. It wasn't the same as showing a second in the future so if a guy was going to shoot someone I would see that no matter how long it took to pull the trigger.

It would be difficult to base combat on something that wasn't a definite time period though. I would need something to time it. "I have one more question," I said with a smile, "What do your electricity plugs look like?"

* * *

Kankuro was standing in the small living space I was allocated at the boarding house with a small frown on his lips. "So you want to take this thing with you?" He pointed at the computer by my window like it was evil and it made me wonder what picture on there was so disturbing to him.

"And a couple other things if that's possible." I agreed.

"What else?"

"Clothes,"

"We have those at Suna," he reminded me.

"Not like mine." My grin was impish. "I also need these three things." I pointed at my iPod, headphones and iPod dock.

"Need?" That caught his attention.

"Need." I asserted.

"How are those three things life or death?" He wasn't buying it.

"It could be." I didn't really feel like explaining another mechanic of something that I thought made me crazy until not so long ago.

"Alright, I'll take your word for it." He did not sound enthusiastic.

"Compromise," I declared. "These three and the computer. I can make my own clothes."

"Deal."

We decided leaving immediately was the best option. Kankuro explained on the way home that the device he used to get to this dimension would only be active for another two days but that going home at the last second was dangerous. In fact the later he stayed the more dangerous the return was as it ran on an independent chakra supply; basically if the device ran out of juice he was stuck here or in limbo which is why he didn't want to bring a lot back.

"There is no turning back." His warning was getting old as some excitement began to pour into me.

"I won't regret this." The words came out like a prayer. My thoughts flashed to Minnie and the others briefly but I promised them as I left for the last time that I would find a place to belong. With that promise in mind along with the heart felt sentiment that things could get better and dreams could be reality I took one last look at the room, which in retrospect was more of a prison than I imagined, without any remorse before nodding to Kankuro.

The puppeteer pulled a small box out of his pocket. From within that box he pulled a sphere the size of a gumball which he placed on each item I requested to bring in turn, each time he would make a series of hand signs and then go to the next. Finally he came to me.

"Hold on tight," I think I would have even if he hadn't said to; there was something terrifying about being caught between dimensions, though it might not be as bad as I thought. With the sphere held in his left hand he made half signs with his right. Tiger, Dog, Dragon, Tiger.

The four electronics began to glow like blue flames. Kankuro was also glowing so I assumed I was too. The fire changed to a green color as I felt him grip my shoulder more firmly. Finally the chakra that I thought of as flames turned to the red of a Tailed Beasts and I felt as if the world was lunging under my feet. Everything was dark and a strong sense of vertigo slammed into me before there was suddenly a brilliant sunset outside the window of whatever room I was in.

Before I could get my bearings Kankuro released my shoulder and I fell forward. My fall was broken by a wall of sand and as the sand parted to reveal a neutral and carefully guarded face I felt the strangest sense of déjà vu in my life before I jumped away as well as I could in shock.

I just fell on Gaara.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So for the record words that are **_**Underlined and italicized **_**are thoughts between two people. Sounds weird now I know but just keep it in mind throughout the story.**

* * *

Chapter 4

Two months passed in a flurry of movement for me. The day I arrived in the Kazekage Tower I let Kankuro explain the things he knew and surmised about my Bloodline and when asked what I would like to do in Suna I admitted to the floor that I wanted to be a ninja.

Temari had smirked at that statement and, considering I just fell on her brother for no reason, I would say I understood the sentiment but Gaara just nodded thoughtfully and told me I had three months to gain stamina, muscle and agility. At least enough to work off of. Since then I have been constantly working to improve my physical health.

To me, being a ninja was a way to atone for all the people I didn't help out of fear of judgment. As a ninja I could help a lot of different people. Most of the time that was the only thought that kept me going. The only people here in Suna that I talked to regularly were Temari and Kankuro. Gaara was usually too busy for much else but work but he was at least polite to me in the hallways of the Kazekage Tower. Everyone else here either shunned me or showed open hostility. At first I thought it was because I was an outsider but I was slowly beginning to wonder if it was a concentrated effort.

There was something far worse than not being acknowledged going on though.

The Bloodline Limit that ultimately brought me here was not reacting well to this new dimension. It was slowly killing me. From what I understand now, the visions of the future are a result of natural energy subconsciously gathering and pooling in the Gate of Opening, or the first gate, without opening it. The problem is that the natural energy of this dimension is thicker than what my chakra pathways were used to back home. It would be like comparing Kool-Aid to wine. Because there was too much density and power in this dimension's energy and because my mind wasn't able to limit or filter that energy while I was sleeping the energy clogged my pathways.

When such dreams came to me here I woke in so much pain it felt like my flesh was melting and my bones were on fire. Due not only to the pain but the fact that my pathways clogged completely I was unable to do anything. Not thrash, not scream, not cry. The first time I experienced this, the pain lasted three hours until Gaara woke up. I was lucky because not only was I given a room in the Kazekage's family quarters for convenience and so the siblings could keep an eye on me, but the Kazekage woke up at four am every day.

From what he said my chakra was so out of control that even the most novice sensory ninja could have detected that something was wrong. The pain subsided after Gaara slapped a seal on my forehead and did some sort of fancy ninja work to calm my chakra flow. Since then Temari agreed to sleep lightly so she could wake up at the start of an onslaught but even with this counter measure things were getting worse. The last time I had a dream like that I was unable to move my body for three hours.

But right now I was running. It helped me build stamina and endurance to run for as long as possible every day. In the beginning I could only last ten minutes I was so out of shape but now I was heading home after three and a half hours at my top speed. I think it's something in the air but my health was improving at a ridiculous rate. It might also be the natural energy my mind gathered on its own both in my sleep and when I was interested or intimidated.

"Hey!" The voice of a child caught my attention. "Hey fatty! Yeah you, the one running."

Sighing I stopped my forward movement and turned to the sound. On my left stood Suna's Academy and standing in front of it were a handful of children. It was after school hours so I imagined they were training.

The kid who shouted in the first place looked to be around twelve years old. He had long brown hair and hazel eyes. In addition to that he wore a mask over the lower half of his face and the way he stood spoke of skill and the fact that he knew his abilities all too well.

"Why is a fatty like you always running around?"

I wasn't overly thrilled with the adjective he used considering the past two months saw me lose close to seventy pounds but this was the first interaction I had had with anyone aside from the sand siblings so even if it was a bunch of rude kids I decided to answer the question.

"I'm increasing my stamina, which I'm gonna need when I start training."

"Training? But you're so old! What would someone as old as you need training for?"

"To become a ninja." My answer was simple and so was theirs. They laughed at me like what I said was grade A comedy.

"You want to be a ninja? Quit kidding around." The kid shouted.

A small girl to the left of the loud mouth stepped forward with a shit eating grin. "I heard Matsuri-sama say that you're leeching off the Kazekage."

The loud mouth looked to her before grinning as well. "I heard that too from my sister. Tell you what freeloader, you beat us all and I'll believe you. It's not like you have anything to lose since freeloaders have no pride anyway. 'Sides there's no way an adult qualified to train would lose to kids like us."

"I'm not about to hit a kid." I told him bluntly, and as my vision fired up with an image of the punk calling me a coward, I continued because really, they might be kids but they would be comrades one day if I managed to get into training and having their respect might matter one day. I also wanted to see if I could take them on at once. "But you guys can try and hit me all you like."

* * *

"You're sure this is the only way?" Temari and her brothers had spent the past two months searching for a way to save Harper from her own Bloodline. At first they thought to send her home, but for some reason the girl had declined the offer even knowing that staying here could mean her death.

Gaara just nodded to answer her question.

"There is a reason it's a forbidden jutsu Gaara," Kankuro reminded his younger brother.

"I am aware. For it to even be successful we need to find someone compatible according the jutsu's requirements and even then they have to have some chance at surviving the further bonding that occurs six months after the jutsu is activated. Until we find someone we can keep looking but…"

"Gaara-sama!" The Kazekage let out a near silent sigh of exasperation as one of the girls who never seemed to understand his intentions, or lack thereof, burst into the room without knocked and no regard for the privacy the siblings asked for.

"Matsuri-" Temari began only to have the girl interrupt her.

"Gaara-sama, it's terrible! That horrible woman went berserk and is fighting a bunch of academy kids! Who knows what will happen if we don't hurry. I told you she was dangerous."

Gaara stood slowly. "They are at the academy, you said?"

"Yes, we should hurry, she –"

"I assure you the students are not in any danger. Harper is most likely dodging everything she can and not throwing punches. She isn't the type to hurt her future nakama. I will check it out nonetheless; it seems like a good opportunity to gauge her abilities. Temari, Kankuro if you would join me?"

It took less than a minute for the four of them to reach the academy where seven children sat exhausted on the sandy ground. Another five were still taking swings at Harper though more often than not they threw punches at one another and got in each other's way.

Gaara watched the lack of teamwork displayed with disappointment. It seemed odd to him that even though the opponent had a Bloodline twelve students could not land a single hit on someone who didn't even think ninja were real two months ago.

After a few more minutes the five remaining students began to bicker and fight each other instead of their common enemy. Thus relieved of her fight Harper looked up at the sun, which was just about hidden behind the cliff surrounding Suna before turning. She was about to start her running back up but spotted the four ninja who stood observing and walked over.

* * *

"Gaara," I acknowledged, bowing my head slightly in I figured seemed deferential.

"It's Gaara-sama you little-" Matsuri began only to be interrupted by the Kazekage's raised hand. Gaara himself had yet to complain about the lack of formality in my address so I saw no need to change it.

"Harper, you know where the training grounds are, correct?" He asked. His face didn't give anything away but I nodded, not worried. "Please go to training ground one tomorrow at this time. Someone will meet you there in regards to training. Perhaps it was a waste waiting three months after all."

I smiled at that. "Sure thing Gaara!" And before Matsuri could reprimand me I was off again.

* * *

Gaara Point of View

_Oi, Gaara-brat!_ The familiar voice resonated through me and I knew I was in for nothing but trouble.

_Shukaku?_ There were only so many things that crazy raccoon needed and, or wanted to say and it never, ever ended well.

_I got a deal for you._

_This should be interesting. _I kept the thought to myself and before I could stop him the Ichibi plucked at my consciousness, depositing it into the mindscape we shared.

It was a vast desert, and unlike last time Shukaku was sealed in me he had no chains or bars or unpleasantness. Instead a large oasis with a sparkling pool of clear water gave a refreshing atmosphere to the place and the sun was never too hot and the nights never too cold.

"I really wish you would at least ask before dragging me in here." I told him now that I could use my voice.

"Geeheehee" His laugh was as obnoxious as ever, "It's not as fun that way kuzo."

"You said you had a deal?" I don't know why, maybe because of all the time he was with me before the war but I enjoyed Shukaku, even if he was a bit unstable.

"Hehe, yeah. For your sleep requirements." Shukaku and I had an arrangement that if I met a number of requirements that ranged from the temperature of the room I was in to how dark or quiet it was he wouldn't erode my personality and mind when I fell asleep.

"Oh so this is not optional I take it?" I fought the urge to roll my eyes, an action that only this guy ever managed to pull out of me.

"Nope, non-negotiable." He was grinning from ear to ear. I knew he was waiting for me to ask, but since he was probably doing this to annoy me two could play his games. "Aw you're no fun kid! Well I'll tell ya then. I am taking all prior arrangements away. But before you go and look all shocked and grateful I gots another one I am putting in."

"Just one?" I had a real bad feeling about this.

"Just the one." He seemed a little too smug. "You gotta be in the same room as that girl you can't touch if you want to sleep."

I felt my jaw popped open in shock. Another reaction only my bijuu partner could get out of me. My reaction was not only due the audacity of the overgrown sand dune but also that he even noticed such a situation when normally he didn't bother noticing the outside world.

It started a month ago and I couldn't understand why, but anytime I got too close to Harper in anyway, be it in a crowded hallway or if we happened to reach for the same thing, my the sand that inherited my mother's will would react and form a barrier between us. I avoided such circumstances because I didn't want to establish too thoroughly that she was a threat, especially when I didn't know why she was. It might not be responsible as a Kage to not deal with such things as they come up, but something concerned me about it. I hadn't even told Kankuro or Temari which was more unlike me than anything else.

And now Shukaku was placing this new requirement on me. _He really is the most evil being I know._

"Geeheehee don't look at me like that kid. It might do you good to get lose to someone. Lord knows you're old enough to mate. I'm doin you a…" The glare I sent him was unintentional but it shut him up.

"Non-negotiable right?" I said through gritted teeth.

"That's right kuzo. You're stuck with it." But his smile was not as wide and his eyes more cautious.

"Is that all?" I hadn't parted with Shukaku on such poor terms in years.

"You got it, heehee." And I was gone.

The Ichibi really was a pest.

**A/N: Bit of a time skip but I couldn't think of many things to make a full chapter out of from those two months in my head. Unfortunately starting a story was never my strongest suit but once I get going its usually ok!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry this took so long. I got stuck about halfway through on how I wanted to connect things and I was despairing but then it came to me and all was good. I hope you guys are still reading. **

* * *

Chapter 5

I wasn't sure why but the Kazekage himself was at the training grounds the next day. He just stood there with his arms folded across his chest and an unreadable expression. I was just on time but jogging up to the small area I felt late under the calculating eye of the Kage.

Gaara was the first to speak when I stopped in front of him. "No one can know about your Bloodline for the time being, so for practicalities sake you will be trained by myself and my siblings. None of us are your sensei. Not in an official way at any rate. As things stand, I will be assisting you in taijutsu and weaponry, Kankuro will be helping you with chakra control and Temari will be going over ninja basics."

He paused and I nodded in understanding.

"Please watch carefully then. I will go through the katas of Suna's basic academy style."

But as I watched something altogether new happened and again that strange dual vision occured. My body seemed stuck between rigid and fluid states but the oddest thing was that my eyes, which remained open and unblinking felt extremely unusual. It was like they were throbbing.

All I know was that I had been watching the katas intently but as I watched I began to try to figure out what the next move would be. All of a sudden my mind began to branch off over and over. Every possible future that could happen popped up from the last kata I saw and then from each of those visions all of the futures attached to them also came forth. Futures came faster and faster, some fizzling out some becoming more prominent. Not only did I see the whole kata for the Suna basic academy style but I saw futures where I branched off and started practicing different styles.

In the end I collapsed having seen several months in advance of taijutsu training.

Three days later I woke up in the hospital and Temari was summoned by the nurse tending to me as the Kazekage requested upon my awakening. "You scared us pretty good there, kid." She said cheerfully. I just looked up at her, not quite sure what to say. The nurse left when Temari sent her a look and the fan user sat down on the edge of my bed. "So, what did you see?"

I took a moment to really make sense of things. _What had I seen?_ "It was almost like scan." I told her after some time. "All of a sudden I could see failures and successes not only for me learning basic taijutsu but also as I continued on into more advanced forms."

"All the success and failure?" I could almost feel her confusion.

"It was kind of like a growing tree." I tried again. "Each event would branch into other possible events which would show the continuations that could occur from those situations over and over sometimes the branch would stop or fade away…I think that was if the situations lost relevancy to what I originally wanted to know, but it felt like those were still possible futures."

Temari's eyes widened. "So it's a wide array of things that _could_ happen. Is there any definite way to discern the future with this ability?"

"I don't know. On first glance, however, it seems unlikely." I frowned. "I think I should say though... I am almost confident I learned the different styles just from that. I think I can use the taijutsu from those futures. I might need some time to commit it all to muscle memory to be fight ready, but I am not sure if my body needs that or not. It might already know how to fight."

The kunoichi's eyes widened almost imperceptibly for a moment before narrowing again. "Do you think that that would work for anything?"

As much as I wanted to be able to say 'yes it could,' I didn't know so I just shrugged before correcting the rude habit. "I think I would have to be able to activate it first. This is not something that has happened before."

"Work on that first then." Temari said tersely. "We will figure out useful applications once consistency has been established." I tried not to show my distaste for the reminder that I was essentially a military asset and little else but at the slight narrowing of my eyes Temari huffed. "Right now I have to be Temari: Advisor to the Kazekage so I have to say it like that. I don't think either of my brothers think that way and neither do I. Gaara has been worried the whole three days you've been out and Kankuro is all sorts of jumpy."

"They still don't know how far it's gotten right?" Since Temari was the only one who saw the aftermath of the dreams I begged her each time to keep the rapid decline a secret from the already busy Gaara and also from Kankuro who was already feeling a disproportional and misplaced guilt that my health was so dangerously affected by the energies of this world.

"I haven't said anything to either of them, or anyone else." Temari bit her lip in a calculated effort to show she was hiding something. A kunoichi with as much experience as she had would not let such cues show without meaning to. Of course that also meant that if she was giving hints like this she couldn't just come out and say what was on her mind. Two months ago I would not have picked up on such an act but I like to think I learned quickly.

The question is: what was she hiding? It wasn't that they knew. There would be no reason to keep that from me. Was there still no hope for a solution? Was there a solution coming? I couldn't begin to guess without running the chance of getting my hopes up. All in all she was most likely displaying this unease to assuage her own sense of guilt at having to keep a secret about me from me. That or she was screwing with my head for fun. That kind of seemed like a Temari thing to do.

As quickly as the show of hesitation appeared it was gone and Temari was up from her perch and calling the nurse back in for clearance that would let me leave the hospital. The nurse came in with a grumpy frown and gave me a once over with hard eyes before jerking her head in a wordless command to get the hell out.

I followed Temari out of the room, down a short hallway and out into the arid heat of the desert but walking down the sandy main road at any time was just asking for stares and try as I might I couldn't ignore the almost burning glares shot at me by a handful of different people, ninja and civilian alike. Somehow it seemed worse than usual and the assumption that this treatment stemmed from the fact that I was an outsider was losing face. The problem was I didn't even know anyone to make an enemy out of or because of.

Then again the academy students I 'fought' mentioned that lovely, lovable Matsuri was being unkind and running her mouth. I mean yes, technically I was freeloading but it was more like I was an invited guest.

The other villagers seemed to be extremely fond of, and in fact borderline devoted to, the woman so if she wanted them mad at someone I don't think many would question it. The problem I couldn't figure out was her motives. I barely spoke to her. Hell I barely spoke to anyone. Just Temari, Kankuro and still only sometimes I would exchange a few words with Gaara…who I didn't call by a respectful title…

God damn it!

_Hey Matsuri, junior high called. They want their drama back._ This was ridiculous. I had to be wrong on this. First off how old was she? I mean I don't know an exact age but really, at least twenty now right? Aside from that and despite how many people shipped them back home unless she and Gaara were being sneaky for some ungodly reason Matsuri wasn't snagging her dream man anytime soon.

"Um, excuse me…" The small, mouse-like voice interrupted my thoughts a second before a light hand tapped my shoulder hesitantly.

Behind me stood a woman who could only be described as average. She was not short but she was not tall. She was not skinny but she was not thick. There was some muscle to her but not a lot. Her brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail and the grey eyes that gazed a bit too intently at me for someone who was so timid held a hint of gentleness that seemed too soft for a kunoichi. The woman displayed a Hitai-ate across her forehead though, so she was definitely not a civilian.

"Um, are you Harper-san?" Her voice seemed ridiculously timid as she avoided eye contact.

"Yeah, how can I help you, Kunoichi-san?" At that she caught my eye for a brief moment before looking away again.

"My name is Sena, but – um…I am an assistant sensei at the academy and there are several students in the class I assist that talk often of the new villager that they fought but couldn't land a hit on. The students don't work well together but they seem to be uniting in the cause of defeating you." She paused and glanced at me apologetically and I had a feeling she wasn't here to warn me. Unexpectedly she bowed to me. "Please, for the sake of the future generation of Suna's forces, come spar with them regularly so that they may learn teamwork against a common enemy. Uh, if that's ok."

I almost didn't expect this woman, Sena, to string that many words together coherently but really I was thrilled at the notion. It would help me improve my sight to hand to eye coordination and give me some sort of interaction with _someone_, even if it was just a bunch of snot nosed kids.

"I would love to." My sincere smile seemed to startle her and I wondered what sort of reputation I was gaining through the voice of another. "We should get the Kazekage's if you haven't yet," I said after a moment of thought. "Last time was spur of the moment and it seems Matsuri-san thought I was attacking the children."

I was relieved when Sena huffed before looking around nervously. "That girl!" Her tone was as scathing as I think she could manage. "Should we go submit a request now then?"

I chuckled inwardly at how quickly she switched back to the nervous but proper woman again. "Lead the way please.

I was trying to relax much later that night when a soft knock sounded on the door to my borrowed room. I wasn't skilled at all in identifying people by their chakra signatures and it would be rude to just yell 'come in' so I slipped off the surprisingly comfortable bed and padded to the door. A small glimpse of who would be standing there made me hesitate but in the end it would be inexcusable to make him wait.

"Hey Gaara," my voice was casual as I swung the door open. "Is my music too loud or something?"

He gave me a long confused look before titling his head as if to catch the sounds flowing from my iPod dock. "This is music from your home?"

"Yeah. There are all sorts…rock, rap, country, classical, R&B…you name it though just hearing the names of different genres is probably confusing, but this is only a selection of music I really like." But of course, as I said that a song I was not overly fond of came on. "One sec." I told him before flitting off to change the song that was too slow for my mood.

As it turned out a few songs played through before either of us spoke.

"Temari told me about the new ability that blossomed." He told me in a gentle tone.

I paused, unsure. "Was that a play on words, Gaara?" When he just stared at me somewhat contemplatively I sighed. "I told Temari a stupid analogy about a tree and you said blossomed." Still no reply. Either he thought I was an idiot or he was laughing inside at my expense.

The sudden realization that a blatantly sexual song was playing in the background of our conversation had me jumping to change it, blushing the color of a ripe tomato. It probably was not wise to be sitting in a room alone with someone I used to fangirl over (granted I didn't know he was real at the time) with a song _that_ playing for any reason.

"Your dimension is interesting, I'll give it that." Gaara mused and I knew now that he was highly amused. "Are such explicit songs truly considered entertaining there?"

"Sometimes," I admitted begrudgingly.

"There was another form of entertainment that Kankuro explained to me. A form of moving drawings called 'Anime.' He led me to believe there were stories about this world available through this art form." He by no means sounded like anything but the Kazekage; gone was the friendly word play and hidden amusement in favor of an aura as cold and hard as steel.

While the transition was a bit startling I gratefully took the conversation change. "I have the series, it is called Naruto after the main character of the show, on my computer. It would be a long time before you watched everything there though and," here I paused. How was I supposed to deny Gaara, who was most definitely standing here in his official rank as Kazekage, the use of my computer because I was tired? I want to concede to his wish because aside from the minor fangirl flutterings I found myself suppressing he was the leader of the village I found myself in. Defying him in any way was suicidal.

Gaara was not stupid though. "If it would be acceptable I will watch quietly and you may rest. I have reason to believe my hearing is far more acute than yours."

At that I blushed. To me it was a subtle pointed remark at the music and how loud it got from time to time but all in all I might have been reading into it. As it stood I couldn't deny him. If I tried to think of anything else he could at least feign insult to the insinuation that I didn't trust him to be in my room while I slept. I didn't know much but he wasn't the type to accost a woman and if I had to say one way or another he seemed too socially awkward to know how to do something like that.

My computer was positioned near the single window in my borrowed room and as I waved at it unceremoniously at it I realized that Gaara did not know how to work the machine. And so as I booted the computer up, (it couldn't stay running because it would drain power) a realization that I should have changed my background made me cringe. It still had the Gaara love kanji image.

_That's embarrassing._ But he didn't seem to notice or mind and instead listened as I gave him a rundown on double clicking and silently prayed to any god that might exist in this dimension that the screen saver did not pop up.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Ahhhh took so long to update sorry guys. I am still trying to figure out how to ration my time with these two fics. This one is taking a back seat more than I would like unfortunately.  
**

* * *

Chapter 6

Gaara Point of View:

Aside from the main story and casual references of Konoha's history I found another shocking revelation in this 'anime'. The language that Harper called 'Japanese' was what we used as ANBU code. As such I was able to watch without reading the flicker of words on the bottom of the screen. The story was generally about Naruto, as the title would suggest, but it was more than a little fascinating in any case. It felt like a betrayal of trust to watch about the intimate happenings of my friend's life though so I began to skip around.

Kankuro told me which episodes held the Chuunin exams from so long ago and to be honest that intrigued me more than some battle over a bridge. I tried not to think too much on what I was like back then. Nothing could change the past no matter how desperately someone wanted to and so dwelling on it only granted sorrow, but a part of me was a bit of a masochist because I wanted to see how people saw me. I wanted to relive the terror in their eyes to remind me that this was how I was.

After a few episodes though, the accumulated sleepless nights that spanned weeks now caught up to me and for once I could almost bless Shukaku for making things so simple. I only had to be in the same room after all. With that in mind I folded my arms into a pillow and fell asleep at Harper's desk.

The rest was refreshing despite the uncomfortable position I slept in but as I woke up I felt a rather undignified sound leave my mouth. On the screen was a hand drawn picture of me with a sleeping kimono opened at the chest. I was half propped on a bed. But the true shock was the words printed cleanly on the bottom of the picture; white against a plain black background. Gaara-sama: a name you want to scream all night long.

Before I could truly process this, the picture changed and I was looking at another drawn picture of one of the men who killed me in unusual clothes. For some reason the sight of the blonde made my heart hurt. I knew he was dead so it wasn't any type of fear; instead it was like when the children from my younger years would spurn me. Yashamaru called it a wound of the heart all those years ago.

The picture changed again and I was there again back to back with Naruto.

It was a strange collection of images. Looking out the window behind me I gauged that it was close to the time I usually 'woke up' so I quietly left Harper's room and slipped into mine. Why was I sneaking around?

* * *

Harper Point of View:

It was much later in the day than usual when I woke which was odd for me to think. I would guess it was around six in the morning; this room didn't have a clock but the sun looked to have been up for an hour now. Back home I would sleep well into the afternoon. Something was changing in me. And it wasn't something as shallow as waking up early in the morning or losing weight though such things were occurring as well.

All my life I was a shifting personality. Sometimes I was cheeky, sometimes I was polite, no matter who it was I always had a different way of acting around one person compared to another. I couldn't focus on just being me because the person I was seemed mentally ill to others. I always gauged my actions based on how others would react. Even among the cherished friends I left behind I felt untrue to myself. I think they knew though.

Today was supposed to be a good day though. I stopped caring about looking like a citizen of Suna an easy week after arriving and started modifying the clothes provided to me in small ways until, with the amount of weight I lost almost constantly, Temari managed to acquire materials to make clothing. Now, I had _no _idea how to sew a whole new garment so I told myself that I would apply this new scan thing I could do to learning how to. I was sure I would activate it today. But first, running.

I ran around the village twice before heading to the training grounds to practice the katas I now just seemed to know. I wanted to see if my body could actually do them or if I just knew the form and had to force myself through the paces. With training ground one open I went into the stance Gaara sank into for the first step of the academy basics and moved through the set easily. Everything was clockwork. It was as if I had experienced those several months I saw and learned from the mistakes therein. As if on auto pilot I went into the more difficult style I saw myself doing in that scan. These movements were not as well memorized and I stumbled a few times as I went through the katas by route.

It was a very insightful exercise though, and I was relieved. There was so much I needed to learn and not enough time to learn it. If I could cheat like this I would. Now I just needed to activate it willingly. That I would do by learning sewing. Nice, safe, simple sewing.

So I went back to the Kazekage Tower and tried it.

And tried.

And tried.

Nothing was working.

So I tried more.

And more.

Lunch came and went and I still sat the floor of the living room of the Kazekage's living quarters with a sewing needle, thread and fabric sitting in front of me uselessly. I had some music, rap this time, playing from the pig shaped iPod dock next to me to try to cut down on my frustration when I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

"What exactly are you doing?" Gaara sounded hesitant around me today and I could only assume that the screen saver did in fact turn on at some point.

"Trying to blossom." I told him petulantly which caused him to sigh softly.

"Did it ever occur to you to try to sew and see if that helps?" He walked around me and my pile of fabric and tools to squat down and look at me levelly. "And what exactly went through your mind when I was going through the katas?"

I felt my eyes go wide. It was so simple. I was an idiot. Gaara had been going through the katas _before_ I started going ahead. I picked up the needle and threaded it with relative ease. It was poised over the fabric and I thought on what would happen next. I remembered that when Gaara was teaching me I was more interested in trying to figure out where the movements were going than what was actually going on.

Again my senses were cut off and all I could see was dozens upon dozens of futures spanning further and further. This time as each future cut to an end with me holding up the garment I had planned everything fizzled out naturally and I came back into my own.

Gaara was still there gazing at me thoughtfully. "Is it possible for you to close your eyes when you do that?" The question confused me but before I could inquire as to why that would be necessary Gaara told me. "Your eyes start glowing orange. It is unwise to show such obvious signs of a jutsu if it can be avoided. I don't know that this has any combat application but if you can practice it and cut down the time it might be applicable as a technique to copy jutsu. If an opponent knows that is what you are doing it might lead to a weakness in the jutsu. You don't seem capable of action while it is happening."

While everything he said was logical and important, my mind was stuck on: "Orange? My eyes glow orange? That is so bad ass!" But as I realized the rest of his words I cleared my throat and, ignoring my ridiculous joy at having glowing orange eyes, I said instead, "Ah, yes, that would be hazardous though, wouldn't it."

Gaara stood up and made ready to leave the room when I jumped to my feet and swirled to face him. "Thank you so much for your…" but before I could complete the sentence the use of chakra for the scan caught up to me and I fell forward. Gaara reached to steady me but a wall of sand blocked him easily.

The sand slowly retreated back into the gourd it came from until only a small patch remained in between our hands. "Gaara, what exactly…should I not…" His sand only did things like that to protect him. Was I dangerous to Gaara?

He seemed to guess the questions I didn't finish accurately as he gave a sigh so quiet that I thought maybe he was just breathing slowly. "That is a general occurrence in times where we may accidently touch. I am looking into it but as things stand right now I do not know why the sand that protects me views you as a threat. I don't know if you should be here or not but I am looking into it." Gaara gave me an amused look that I thought I misinterpreted for a second before lowering his hand and allowing the last patch of sand to snake away. "You're rather bold though, Harper."

The look of confusion wasn't enough to keep him engaged in conversation so I asked, "What do you mean, Gaara?"

"That right there. There was a picture on your computer that clearly said Gaara-sama." _Well shit._ "I had assumed you didn't understand the proper address at first but you knew along, didn't you?"

This was a question I really did have to answer…respectfully. "I did, Gaara-sama." I felt my head bow automatically but a small line of sand touched my chin, tilting it back up.

"It's usually difficult to get people to accept me as anything but the Kazekage as I have filled this role for a very long time. So, while it is not gaining you much favor with other villagers, I suppose now that you are in the habit of calling me by my name I should allow it if only in reward for your boldness. I find that making friends is as important as having nakama, don't you?"

"So it is okay to call you Gaara still?" It was better to be safe than sorry.

"If you want. Gaara-kun would be fine if you wanted to fit in more, though I think somehow that might get you killed by certain exasperating women." As I broke out in a fit of laughter his eyes widened and his forehead wrinkled like he was raising his non-existent eyebrows. "What?"

I managed to wave my hands in a vague attempt to tell him not to worry but he just continued to gaze at me expectantly. "Some people…" wheeze "Back there…" deep breath. "Used to call you…" fit of giggles. "Gaa-chan." One look at the clearly unimpressed expression on his face had me falling to my knees, unable to hold myself upright.

I looked up in time to see Gaara frown before he intoned, clearly and unmistakably, "That is not permitted." And as I broke down in giggles again he walked away shaking his head.

Several minutes passed before Kankuro came wandering in for a snack of some sort and I was still in a giggling heap on the floor.

"What the hell happened to you?" He asked as I twitched.

My head popped up and I managed to spit out "Ask your brother." Before collapsing again. At this point I have no idea why it was funny but I really needed a laugh.

I didn't exercise any more that day and instead made several outfits before modifying clothes I already had to fit my style more. At dinner Gaara was still frowning and I was trying my best not to laugh at him again but I figured one tease would be fine.

"So what exactly was so funny earlier?" Kankuro asked as we sat down for some beef tongue, which I thought at first was going to be the grossest thing ever but if you ignored what it was it wasn't so bad.

"Nothing important." I told him with a serious mien. Gaara was next to me at the head of the table and it almost seemed that he was relieved. He was not used to being teased at all was he? "Hmmm, can you pass the salt…Gaa-chan?" Gaara's eyes grew wide in shock as Temari gaped openly at the nickname. Kankuro just looked very confused.

"Oi, little brother, why can't we call you that?" Kankuro asked with a surly tone and I lost it again.

Temari on the other hand started to laugh loudly, slapping her hand on the table for emphasis. "That's fucking great!" She chortled. "Where did you come up with that? I thought you didn't know anything about honorifics."

I managed to control my laughs for long enough to say, "He has a lot of fangirls back home who call him that. Guess he's just too cute." And I was giggling again.

"You hear that, Gaara, you have girls in different dimensions who love you!" Temari guffawed.

"It's worse cause to them he isn't even real. Aw man you should read some of the fanfics."

"Fanfic?" Gaara asked, opening a whole new can of worms.

"Yeah but to be honest I would rather read GaaraXNaruto over any other pairing. I have seen some disturbing ones with you and Hinata or Sakura or even Ino. The yaoi isn't so bad though."

"Pairings?" Kankuro asked dumbly.

"Yaoi?" Gaara questioned.

"Pairings; like who you date or sleep with or whatever. And yes, yaoi…guy on guy pairings. You know, homosexual stuff." I explained it casually but the effect was profound.

"There is writing that puts Gaara in relationships with those Konoha kunoichi?" Temari demanded, but Gaara's reaction was ten times better.

He dropped the chopsticks in his hand and stared at me with wide eyes. "Me and _Naruto_? What in the? How in the? How would we…?"

"Your innocence and lack of creativity is kind of cute, Gaa-chan." For once he let the nickname slide so I decided now was not the time for Yaoi 101 with the Kazekage. "I'll tell you when you are older."

"But a man and a man? That's not even physically possible there isn't a place to…" Kankuro was thinking way to hard or not enough.

"There is always a place." I told him solemnly and left it at that. Remarkably Temari was the one to figure it out. She looked at her baby brother and then burst out in more laughter.

"That would be interesting." She said with a chuckle "But I don't think that Konoha or Suna would allow such a thing."

"Did Naruto become the Hokage then?" I didn't know what happened at the end of the war but I had my fair guess.

"Naruto made Hokage." Gaara said, thankful for the subject change. "There are new Raikage and Tsuchikage as well but I get yelled at for talking politics and work at the dinner table."

I just grinned at that and before I knew it dinner was done with and I was washing dishes like any other member of a family would be corralled into doing. The sand siblings were off doing their own separate things and Gaara was back in his office when a small trail of sand floated up and caught my attention.

'Don't call me Gaa-chan!' The words floated in front of me for a moment before dissolving and rushing back to the Kazekage office. _He really is cute sometimes._

* * *

Gaara Point of View:

I found myself unable to get much work done that day. Taking that break with Harper at lunch only served to remind me of that picture from this morning and her fit of laughter at that Kami-forsaken nickname kept cropping up in my mind.

Dinner only made things worse. First because that name was brought up in front of Kankuro and Temari and getting them to keep quiet on it was going to prove difficult. It had been too long since I was able to scare them into doing anything and it occurred to me that this was not something being diplomatic would stop. And then there was the thought that there were people in the Spirit Away Dimension that seemed to…what was the word, pair? Yes pair me and various kunoichi and _shinobi_ in intimate relationships. I spent more time than was probably healthy trying to figure out how two men copulate with each other. As I saw it, there was no benefit as men could not get pregnant.

Getting distracted so much delayed all the work I had and I ended up finishing the last bit of paperwork well into the night. Walking through the halls to the living quarters I tried to think of an excuse to get into Harper's room again tonight. I wasn't really tired but she so far proved to be an interesting person to talk to.

Before I could knock on the door I heard a lilting 'come on in' and following those instructions I managed to hold a conversation for much longer than my Council seemed to think me mentally capable of. I didn't mind Harper; even though she was a source of distraction and put weird concepts into my head and I was so glad she hadn't gone back home when she had the chance.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Gaara was becoming more of a friend.

That was what marked the next few weeks as I wore myself with scanning futures to learn different taijutsu and to master different shinobi arts like throwing weapons and using chakra to run faster and climb sheer rock walls.

He was a consistent source of companionship every night. We would listen to music and I would teach him lyrics, sometimes we would watch one of the random movies on my computer even though he didn't understand the pop culture references. That usually led to discussions about the dimension I left behind which was seeming like less and less of a home.

Today Gaara was going to take a relatively long break, a whole hour, from paper work and appointments to spar with me or rather to let me hit the solid wall of sand that sprung to his defense even when I wasn't trying to _hit_ him. After that I had another brawl with the academy students. First things first, however, were stretches and running.

It started after my first lap around the cliffs. The guards stationed at the village entrance would snicker and pretend to waddle or jiggle imaginary flab. It didn't take chakra enhanced ears to hear the insults, words like 'fatso' and 'freeloader' that slid smoothly off their tongues. I passed out of hearing range quick enough but the anger and humiliation burned as I raced around the outside of the village.

I was visibly upset, at least by ninja standards, as I ran past them again but a girl with long, straight, pretty brown hair signaled for me to stop and jogged over.

"Hey, ignore them, they're boneheads anyway." She gave a friendly smile. "There is an oasis to the north-west of here within the Village's jurisdiction if you would rather be uninterrupted in your routine." She shot a nasty look at the guards who rolled their eyes. "I used to run until I was ragged testing my endurance there a lot. It even has a decent water hole."

I looked off to the north-west, angling my body to run in that direction. "Thanks…uh…"

"Sari," she supplied helpfully.

"Thanks a bunch Sari-san. I'll be going then." In hindsight I should have recognized the gleam of triumph in her eyes but I just thought to myself about how helpful she was.

I never even noticed the genjutsu field I walked into nor did I realize that after a couple dozen meters I was running due west because of it.

* * *

Gaara Point of View:

I should have known immediately when the normally prompt and punctual Harper wasn't already at the training grounds for our spar that morning. Checking her room, which proved empty, my eyes fell on the small black rectangle she called an iPod. She would have brought it to the spar; she mentioned something about timing the future with it, but Harper didn't bring it to her daily exercise routine anymore.

I figured it was a bit of a blessing because I really did have a lot of work to do and I felt a bit irresponsible ditching everything to fight with some girl. I headed back to my office ignoring the pointed looks Temari and Kankuro shared as I entered. Was it because I wasn't gone the full hour or did I look as dejected as I felt? It would only lead to embarrassment to ask.

Time passed slowly after that. A part of me was concerned; was she alright? Had she lost track of time or was something preventing her from contacting me? Another part of me was angrier than I had been in some time. I could feel Shukaku snickering in the back of my mind in his private desert. She just blew me off. I had never experienced anger at a situation like this. Normally if someone could not make it to an appointment I let it slide and moved on, knowing that there was surely a good enough reason.

Temari seemed like she was about to say something when a knock interrupted any chance she may have has.

"Enter." I somewhat hoped it was Harper if only so that I could stop dwelling on her. Instead the woman who came in could only be described as pretty but average. The woman was a fairly skilled kunoichi who stopped ANBU training half way through after the demise of her mother and father. She took on the safer role of Assistant Sensei in the academy so she could provide for her younger sister.

Once called the name Mouse by her colleagues, she was soft spoken and timid, but only when in character.

"Kazekage-sama, I uh, it's just…"

"Drop the act Sena, he's not in a good mood." Kankuro said with a roguish smile and a wink, it really wasn't helping my overall attitude.

"Right, I'll make my concern brief then, knowing how valuable your time is." Sena said smoothly and quickly shifting gears. "I have reason to believe one of the Village's jounin perhaps more, have done something to cause harm to your guest, Harper-san." I hate to acknowledge the way my body became rigid with shock. "She was scheduled to come to the Academy to help the children with teamwork and while she has never been late, in fact she comes early, she didn't show at all. What's more, Matsuri-san and that crony of hers, Sari, have been staring out at the desert with disturbingly gleeful expressions."

I felt my hands clench into tight fists and sensed more than saw the sand shifting dangerously at my feet. Without even thinking I found myself using shunshin in a flurry of sand, landing just outside the village.

"G-Gaara-sama!" Sari sounded both nervous and excited. I ignored her. Instead I bent to the sand, placing both hands down into the particles hot enough to burn as they lay directly under the desert sun. Kankuro, who followed me without question, turned to her with a menacing look.

"Do you know which direction that Harper chick ran off to?" He was playing her the fool but it was still irritating to have to.

"She just headed to the oasis in the north-west…" the girl answered but there was a soft hitch in her voice and her chakra wobbled just enough to indicate that something was going on.

Concentrating more chakra into the palms of my hands I scanned for irregularities in the dunes in the specified direction. It didn't take long to come across the genjutsu trap lying in wait. It was sloppy work, something even a Chunin could have detected but Harper was not a Chunin.

"Kankuro." My brother nodded and we set off in the direction Harper was supposed to be in.

"Gaara, what's going on?" He had typical sensory strength and when we came within five steps of the field he hissed in shock. "Hey, that's Matsuri's chakra signature."

The information was unnecessary; Matsuri was my student so of course I knew that already. Nodding in acknowledgement I made to walk into the genjutsu but Kankuro thrust an arm in my path.

"It is fairly weak," I told him. "If it is dangerous I will break free of it. Besides I don't believe Matsuri means Harper any harm. I am curious to see what this is about." With that conviction I stepped past the obvious haze of chakra. Several steps into the genjutsu I veered to the west.

For two hundred yards the genjutsu confused my mind into a westerly direction. It seemed simple enough until everything changed.

_No one likes you._

_No one loves you._

_Weak._

_Pathetic._

_Useless._

_Stop wasting Gaara-sama's time._

_Unworthy._

_Slut._

_Whore._

I quickly shattered the jutsu and took off at a faster pace with Kankuro running parallel to me three hundred feet to the left. At first I was just confused. What was the point of implanting those specific thoughts? Each one was an inaccurate assumption or even a bold faced lie. Moreover there was no reason for Matsuri to do this. The only possible purpose would be to torment Harper and from what I knew there wasn't enough interaction between the two women to warrant negative and hurtful actions.

After half an hour of running another genjutsu hit e like a sandstorm. My heart began to hurt like when I was a child and people were laughing all around me; shouting. I barely felt my steps slow as the words reached my ears.

_Why don't you just die?_

_Die._

_DIE!_

_No one will ever love you._

_You will never be needed._

_You will never be wanted._

_All the Kazekage can give you is pity._

_He could never love an outsider like you._

_Just jump._

_End it._

_Pathetic._

_Just die._

My heart continued to constrict and I wasn't sure if it was the genjutsu or the fact that Matsuri would create something like this. I was moving at a snail's pace through the sand; mind pondering the words the illusion shouted at me and why Matsuri would do such a thing.

"Kai!" Kankuro's voice rang out against the effects of the field. "Gaara," he was pale and I realized that Kankuro also experienced the genjutsu. "I think we should hurry." I was about to nod and take off at a decent clip but it hit me. _Just jump._ We were headed west…to the ravine.

"Fuck." It was unlike me to swear but I couldn't think of any more valid word to express my feelings at the time. I ran. I ran faster than I had in a very long time all the while forcing the genjutsu to stay out of my mind.

When we arrived at the ravine, Harper was standing at the edge; pale and shaking.

"Wait, don't…" I was too far away to release her and she just turned to me with dead eyes and a sad smile. Mouthing an apology she gave a small wave and took a dainty step backwards off the cliff and out range of the genjutsu.

As she began to scream in terror I jolted into action and ran to the ravine edge. Without thought or permission I tapped Shukaku's power to call sand from the earth layer upon layer. I heard a cry of pain but continued to add sand from the bottom until a giant sand dune crested the ravine; Harper sat cringing in pain at the top.

"Harper!" I can't say I truly understood the amount of relief I felt. Harper was someone I would consider a friend but shinobi die every day. She understood that and I did too, much better than she could. The woman slid down onto the lip of the ravine before standing carefully, her hand cradling her left forearm gently. Her eyes were still dead and her mouth was set in a grimace. I could have killed someone if there was anyone worth striking down in my vicinity.

I just didn't know why.

We were half way to Suna before I could calm down but just when I thought I was alright, Harper stumbled and pithed forward into the sand. Struggling to stand she pressed her weight onto her left arm and gasped in pain as if she were fighting not to scream.

Vision hazing red I lifted the three of us onto platforms of sand and sent us floating back to the village.

"Sorry." The word was whispered so quietly I thought perhaps I was imagining things but after a moment Harper repeated her apology sounding tearful and guilty and I snapped.

"How is any of this _your_ fault?" My tone was harsh and my voice gravelly but I didn't regret it. "Did you provoke Matsuri?"

She laughed sounding a bit hysterical and at first I thought I frightened her. She had seen my past in that anime so it would make sense. "Every day. It's not intentional but it's not something I can help either. I get to call you familiarly and I seem close to you." She laughed again and I stopped the sand's forward momentum in confusion.

"That has nothing to do with Matsuri." How could that affect my former student at all?

"She thinks I am stealing you from her. She cares about you and some new chick comes in and starts hanging out with you, well most woman would trash talk or something, but Matsuri is a ninja so things scale I guess."

"You're not really making sense," I told her honestly. Couldn't she say it clearly?

Thankfully Kankuro was paying attention and after a baffled moment of his own he called from the sand he sat on, "I think she is saying Matsuri's jealous."

"Jealousy does not merit murder." I intoned, still confused as to why Matsuri would be jealous and also what murdering Harper would accomplish.

"Depends on how jealous you are and about what." Harper voice was quiet but I could still hear the rueful tone in her voice; as if she really thought she was doing something wrong.

Nudging the sand forward I thought on it, staring out at the desert contemplatively. Even if I was unaware when it all began I knew Matsuri was infatuated with me but I never gave her any indication that I was interested and I treated within the limits of friendship the whole time. Some of the things in that field indicated that Matsuri thought there was something between Harper and I but I couldn't even get close to harper without a wall of sand springing into existence. Not only that but there was still no headway in finding someone compatible with the jutsu that could save her life. If no one could be found Harper would die. If someone was found it would not be a under exaggeration to say she belonged to and with that person and vice versa.

If I could have found a way to fall in love with anyone, which hasn't happened yet, but if I could it might have been Harper. But it would only hurt to think on it. If only sand could block off my heart.

Temari was at the Village Entrance but I zoomed right past her, dropping Kankuro off to explain the situation. I really didn't think it was wise for me to be anywhere Matsuri could find me. Maybe one day she would understand that I was a man and not a list of adjective; today would not be a good day to lecture on it though.

In the meantime I brought the sand platform up into the Kazekage residence and deposited Harper on her bed. With unsure fingers I pushed a few buttons on the small item that played music and when the sound started I lowered myself to the floor with my back against her bedframe. I didn't plan to sleep but the soft song, almost like a lullaby, coming from the pig shaped music box sent me into a dream of deserts and friends and fun where Matsuri and Harper laughed together in the pool of an oasis, murder far from anyone's mind.

* * *

**A/N: Bah another long chunk before updates. Sorry about that. Hit me up with a review if you like….it would help to know how things are seen by yall.**


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